


Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide

by ChibisUnleashed, KamuiWithFangs



Series: The Chronicle Series [2]
Category: Code Geass
Genre: Backstory, Friends to Lovers, He's just doing his job okay?, Lelouch takes being a fairy very seriously okay, M/M, Paul Bunyan - Freeform, Rise of the Guardians AU, Side Story, Suzaku takes being called Paul a lot less seriously, Which apparently involves ham skating and river wrangling whatever, blue fairy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-16 23:06:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8121166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibisUnleashed/pseuds/ChibisUnleashed, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KamuiWithFangs/pseuds/KamuiWithFangs
Summary: When you wish upon a star. Or just really loudly.
The Blue Fairy has spent a century granting the wishes of anyone who wants them bad enough, but he's never met someone like Suzaku before.
This is the backstory of Lelouch and Suzaku from A Cold and Dark Chronicle; the story of how the Blue Fairy and a random guy who likes camping came to be one of the spirit world's most reliable and adorable partnerships.





	1. When You Wish Upon a Fairy

**Author's Note:**

> We always planned to write this, the same way we've already begun writing for Seifer and Squall's story, too. But we hadn't quite gotten around to it until the first AU prompt for Suzalulu week was Fairy Tales. It was... too perfect to pass up.
> 
> We aren't finished yet, but nothing about the Chronicle is. So join us for this side-journey two hundred years back in time~

Some days, Suzaku hated himself. 

It was true that his unusual strength and resilience had helped them get this far, but he would give it all away if it meant he wasn’t just sitting here, watching everyone he had grown to love and cherish die. 

He couldn’t even figure out where the sickness had come from. They hadn’t traded with anyone in weeks and the food had been cooked through. He must have missed something, or else it was God punishing them and there was nothing he could have done but pray harder.

He boiled beef down into a hearty broth and fed each of his campmates in turn. He made sure to wash and change their bedding and sometimes their clothes to keep them comfortable. He tended the fire long into the night, and kept watch all on his own. But he never got sick like them.

He wondered who God was punishing. Them, to make them suffer this. Or him, to make him watch. Suzaku swore he would trade places in an instant. When he slept in the early afternoon, when his campmates were the most aware and it was safe for him to be unconscious for a little while, he would slip under always with the same wish on his mind.

That they would be better when he woke.

And then, when he had already lost two friends and was emotionally preparing to lose more, when his hope was waning that his prayers would be answered, Suzaku opened his eyes one evening to the most beautiful of angels. 

Far more beautiful than Suzaku had ever thought to imagine, he had shimmering blue wings that caught the dying sun in a rainbow of colors. The darkest, sleekest hair framing the most vibrant of violet eyes. He seemed to glow against the backdrop of a darkening sky, and for a long moment, Suzaku forgot what he had been praying for.

It was flattering to say the least. 

The humans always did like to stare, Lelouch was used to that starstruck awe when they first saw him, but very rarely was it enough to shift the power of a wish. And this human’s wish had pulled him all the way across the ocean with the desire behind it. 

“My name is Lelouch,” he answered the unspoken question that was begging to be answered, “I’m here because you brought me here.” 

Suzaku nodded, but he didn’t understand at all. Lelouch wasn’t the name of any angel in the bible that he had seen. Still, “To help them.” He remembered his wish.

Ah yes, there it was. The blue of his pointed wings seemed to flare up with an otherworldly luminescence as the want returned. Certainly wishing for the dying to be well wasn’t uncommon, but this human, with how deep his emotions ran for this one request, made his job ridiculously easy. Lelouch felt the magic pooling at the tips of his fingers. 

“To help them,” he repeated, turning away from the young man to face the miserable little camp in desperate need of a miracle, “As you wish.” With his palm upturned, Lelouch brought his hand near his face to gently blow over it, a similar, sparkling blue emanating out and overtaking the grounds to touch every ailing body. It lasted for only a few seconds, and when the haze cleared, his attention returned to the brunette. “Come morning, the illness will only be a memory.”  

Suzaku smiled, feeling a little delirious with his relief. He didn’t usually allow himself to linger in the space between sleep and waking, but with an angel nearby, he didn’t feel the danger lurking that made him alert all of the time.

He watched the mist settle over his campmates, paying special attention to the kids who were holding on the best, but had the most to lose. They also happened to be the most awake, but their attention was all on each other. They were talking quietly, stiltedly, some holding hands, but not a one was looking at the angel.

“They don’t see you.”

Lelouch smirked at the observation, resting a hand on his hip. The curious ones were amusing. “It’s not their wish I’m granting.” 

Suzaku nodded again and closed his eyes. Now he felt he understood. “You’re not real. You’re just a wishful dream.”

Now that was just offensive. The smirk disappeared and arms were crossed over the ‘angel’s’ chest. “I am in fact  _ quite  _ real. As real as the wish in your heart. I certainly didn’t fly over from Europe for  _ nothing. _ ” 

“Of course I would dream of beautiful, obstinate angels.”

And that was even more offensive, but also a common misinterpretation. “There are no angels here. I am a  _ fairy _ ,” Lelouch corrected like it was of the utmost importance, “There’s no way your simple mind could dream up the likes of  _ me. _ ”

His subconscious was cruel for tempting him with his sin of homosexuality. He pinched himself to escape this dream, but… well, it just hurt and changed nothing. Figures. 

That meant he had to reason with himself, didn’t it? “You’ll forgive me if I wait for proof before I choose to believe in fairies?”

The idea of something so rational seemed to ease Lelouch off his haunches. He tilted his head consideringly. Honestly, the human looked like he hadn’t slept well in  _ years  _ so he couldn’t completely blame him for his skepticism. “Fair enough. You’ll see come morning.” With that, those blue wings, nothing like that of a feathered angel, flickered behind him and he lifted into the air. The wish was granted, and Lelouch’s work was done. “Until then, you might want to try having an  _ actual  _ dream. A long one. It’ll help you better appreciate the reality in front of you.” 

“Can’t,” Suzaku whispered, even as he fell back into a doze, “They need me…”

The next time he opened his eyes, the fairy was gone. It was still light out, only just, and Suzaku rolled out of his bed to tend to his still sick campmates. Most of the adults had slipped into sleep, but the kids were as awake as ever, and Suzaku intended to tell them tall tales and epic stories until they slept, too.

He didn’t have time to ponder the fairy tales of his own mind. He had reality to deal with.

He firmly believed it was only his hopeful imagination that the kids seemed to do better. That their voices were stronger, that their appetites were greater, that they stayed awake longer than usual. He thought himself in pessimistic circles all night, tending the fire meditatively, wishing upon wishing that the fairy had been real in the quiet moments he had to himself.

Come morning, his wish was granted.

The adults woke first, surprised by their own health. They ate a real breakfast for the first time in weeks. Some ventured into standing and Suzaku had help with keeping camp that he never expected to have again. The kids woke around lunch with the same results and Suzaku finally broke down into grateful sobs that he hid by searching for firewood.

He couldn’t be sure it was the fairy who had done it, but he didn’t particularly care. He would believe in an adult-sized, beautiful man of a blue fairy if it meant these kind of miracles did happen. He would be forever grateful to his own imagination because the embarrassment just didn’t matter next to the reality he now lived. 

And if that fairy was real, then he rightly deserved Suzaku’s never-ending thanks.

* * *

Maybe a week later, Lelouch would return to collect them. 

Collect wasn’t the proper term though. It was more of a… shut them up? 

His own, self-proclaimed rules of the trade deemed that in the realm of humans, everybody got one. Given that he’d only been doing the wish granting thing for the better part of a century, it seemed to be working out for him. Never had he returned to the same human for a second wish. It kept his reputation mysterious and made the title of Blue Fairy something worth believing in. Only when one wished for something with every fiber of their being did the dark haired spirit bestow a coveted visit.

But this. This  _ wasn’t  _ one of those soul-consuming, down on hands and knees praying wishes. It was just. Persistent.  _ Annoying.  _ A little buzz in the back of his consciousness that he couldn’t ignore because… 

Because Lelouch was a bit of a narcissist and the wish was about  _ him.  _

It wasn’t like a human never felt indebted to him before, or showed him gratitude, or wished for him to come back, but there was always something selfish behind it. Lelouch never paid it much attention because it always went away. But this didn’t. 

And that was why he found himself hovering over a familiar little camp in the woods. It was near sunset again, the brunette man was chopping wood with practiced ease. Lelouch remembered him. He looked well rested now, stronger, peaceful. He was actually rather attractive, but Lelouch did always seem to find himself drawn towards the strong, silent ones. 

Fluttering down to the ground, the fairy made sure he was a good distance from that axe when he spoke up, “If I say ‘ _ You’re welcome’,  _ will that clear this up?” 

Suzaku jumped and spun in the air and the distance didn’t matter because he was ready to throw that axe if the surprise had been an enemy of his camp. But no, it was the ang--  _ fairy. _

Suzaku wasn’t sure if he had passed out after smacking himself in the head with a log, or if this was real.

He opted to believe this was real. His gratitude was real, even if he was only thanking himself in his head. 

_ “Thank you,”  _ he earnestly said, tossing the axe aside and stepping closer to the fairy, “Thank you so much.”

But then.

“Wait, clear what up?”

“ _ That,”  _ Lelouch gestured at the male with a flick of his wrist, “I’ve been hearing your thank-you’s for over a  _ week  _ now. You’re welcome. Let’s move on, shall we?”

Suzaku’s brow furrowed, “For a week? But I never said it out loud.”

“Wishes don’t need to be spoken aloud for me to hear them,” Lelouch explained with a hard look at the human. Followed by an exasperated one when it hit him, “You’re still convinced I’m a dream aren’t you.”  

Suzaku shrugged a little and admitted, “I am not unconvinced that I’m going mad. How’s that?”

“But you’d believe it if I was an angel? That’s some double standard,” Lelouch scoffed. 

“I would still question my sanity, even if I thought you were an agent of the Lord.” Suzaku was, after all, a realist.

“Be assured, I did  _ not  _ fly across the planet to chase you down a second time just so you could thank a figment of your imagination that you are giving  _ far _ too much credit,” the fairy argued haughtily, “Just what do I need to do to prove it to you?” 

Suzaku wasn’t sure there was enough credit in the world for whoever was responsible for curing his camp. “I, uh…” but Suzaku wasn’t the kind for proving or disproving things. He left that to the scientists and the preachers, “I don’t know.”

Lelouch glared for the utter lack of answer, staring down the human like he was trying to get a read on his soul. 

Only to extend his hand out per the American tradition for a shake. “I’m  _ real.  _ I’m standing right here, and I’m going to make you believe it.”

Suzaku took his hand because it would be rude not to. But once he had it, the reality that he was  _ touching a fairy  _ took hold, and suddenly all he could do was stare in awe at the slim, pale hand in his that was definitely solid and  _ felt  _ very real.

That could have been a hallucination too. But of all the dreams Suzaku had ever had, if this was one, it wasn’t so bad. And if it wasn’t…

Suzaku believed in miracles. He was one, with his strength and his speed and the things he could do that no man should be able. He believed in prayer, and wasn’t that just wishing to God? So if he already believed, then what was believing the source of miracles and his wishes was a beautiful man with blue wings?

Suzaku lifted his head to meet the fairy’s eyes, those beautiful violet eyes, and showed some faith, “I’m sure you will.”

 


	2. Makes No Difference if You're Wary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rules are meant to be broken, even when they're your own.

“So tell me,” Lelouch dove right in, “How  _ does  _ one go from Suzaku to  _ Paul _ ?” 

The fairy had been hovering around the man in question for hours now, but there was only so much small talk he could tolerate before he had to start asking questions. They were following the shoreline of a small lake, and no one else was around to see or care if the human was ‘talking to himself.’ 

“People ‘round here don’t like the name Suzaku,” he answered simply. It wasn’t worth being angry about anymore, but it had left Suzaku bitter and he could admit to that. “Claim they can’t pronounce it. So they gave me a better one.”

“There is nothing difficult about pronouncing your name,” Lelouch stated, sounding insulted as if it was his  _ own  _ name being slaughtered, “They could at least let you keep some semblance of it. Like Suza, or Zaku, or Su? Or what’s your last name? Furthermore, how can you simply  _ accept  _ it?” 

“Kururugi.”

…. Well alright, that was a bit of a mouthful. But Lelouch was the most determined of fairies and stood tall when he tried it for himself. “Kuru..rurugu…,” and stumbled. He tried again, slower, “Kuru...rugi. Ku. Ru. Ru. Gi. Kururugi. There. Kururugi Suzaku. I learned. Your name isn’t that difficult.” 

“You speak french,” Suzaku pointed out plainly.

“And you learned English. Your point?”

Suzaku shook his head. English was hard, sure, but, “You can pronounce words that would make my head spin.”

Lelouch… had to wonder why they were disputing this so much. “Are you not proud of your birth name? Or you hold no attachment to it?” 

“I’m very proud of it. Suzaku is…” He looked up at the fairy and seemed to lose his words. He didn’t know how to explain that kind of honor, especially when he hadn’t been proud  _ out loud  _ in such a long time. Finally, Suzaku dropped his head and picked out a rock on the shore to kick into the water, “I’m just more attached to food in my belly and life in my body, so I let it go.”

“And…” Lelouch pressed on, preemptively floating closer in case Suzaku,  _ Paul,  _ thought he could escape the conversation, “this is because of the same people you wished for a cure for their illness?” 

Suzaku couldn’t run from the question, but he could turn away and scan the shoreline for a minute before responding. “Yes. But not… It’s not as straightforward as you’re making it out to be. Of course they were distrustful of me at first. And now… Well, if you’re trying to imply I’m a greater follower of Jesus than them, I’ll gladly accept that.”

Lelouch eased back, lifting a bit higher into the air with a wistful expression, “I just don’t know how you can stand it. But it’s been quite some time since religion was my guiding motivator.” 

“I can stand it because I have to.” Suzaku bent down to retrieve a rock, smooth on one side, and skipped it across the calm water, “I forgive because I must. Haven’t you ever had to do something else go mad or die?”

Lelouch watched with a tilt of his head. He’d never gotten the technique down to rock skipping in his human lifetime. “Yes,” he answered simply, “I would even go so far as to say that’s how I ended up like this.”

Suzaku turned to watch Lelouch, too. Odd way to end up when you’re just trying to stay alive. “Then you understand religion is not my motivator. God is watching, Jesus loves me, and I will meet them one day, but that is not why I am here.”

“Are you happy here?” Lelouch turned suddenly on the Earth-bound man. 

“I think I am,” he nodded.

“You  _ think? _ A life of subservience and unconditional acceptance where you don’t have the freedom to be called by your own name? You’re content with that?” 

Suzaku was much more comfortable with the word, ‘content.’ “Yes.”

Lelouch was… disappointed. He honestly had no place among humans with  _ zero  _ ambitions. It didn’t leave much to wish for. “You really are simple-minded.” 

Suzaku smiled in amusement and went for another rock. “You’re awfully quick to judge.”

“I was revered for my people reading skills once upon a time,” curious, Lelouch chose to study how Suzaku handled the rock for his next throw, “These days, all of my human encounters are  _ quick.  _ I don’t usually hang around like this.” 

“I’ll count myself lucky, then.” It would have been hard for Suzaku not to notice where Lelouch’s eyes were, and so he made a show of letting the fairy see how he was holding the rock, and how he moved his arm to throw it horizontally so that it would hit the water’s surface just right.

“As you should,” Lelouch watched it go and counted at least seven skips. Impressive. Not to be outdone, he extended his arm, pointed to another nearby stone and lifted it into the air with a blue glow around it. A mere flick of his finger, and his magic shot the stone forward for ten perfectly spaced skips. “You’re in the presence of a being who could make all of your dreams come true if you wish for it nicely.” 

Suzaku watched the stone in fascination. Lelouch had already done magic around him, but this felt different. This wasn’t a miracle, it was just skipping a stone. “You already have.”

Those violet eyes rolled dramatically. “ _ This  _ is why you’re simple-minded. Why not dream bigger? You have a whole human life ahead of you and right here, right now, you can do anything with it. You choose to skip rocks.” 

“I like skipping rocks,” Suzaku replied, clearly offended by the implication. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the little things. “I can already do almost anything,” he continued with a shrug, “I’m not simple-minded. I’m simply easy to please.” 

“Which is possibly even  _ worse, _ ” the fairy huffed. It was worse because it made it more obvious that there was no real benefit to being here. Lelouch could feel  _ millions  _ of wishes, idle to fatal, in the distance, but with this human there was  _ nothing.  _ Maybe the peace was a nice change of pace. That didn’t change how it irked him Suzaku couldn’t see the potential in front of him. Couldn’t see  _ Lelouch’s  _ potential. “Do you still believe I’m not real?” 

Suzaku startled and blinked. He’d forgotten that was the point of this. He hadn’t considered the question in  _ hours.  _ If he was dreaming, it was unlike any dream he’d ever had. And truly, it would be disappointing on the side of  _ depressing _ to find out such an interesting person as this was not real. 

He’d gone the entire afternoon subtly believing though, so he might as well make it blatant. “No.”

Then his goal had been accomplished. Then there was no longer a reason to stay. Lelouch should have felt proud, but only remained dissatisfied. Suzaku believed he was real, but also believed there was nothing more he could do for him. 

“Good,” those blue wings fluttered, carrying Lelouch higher into the air, “Then maybe you’ll think of me the next time you see a shooting star.” 

Suzaku laughed, but shook his head, “I doubt I’ll need a shooting star to think of you.”

“How charming,” Lelouch smirked despite it all, “Take care of yourself, Simple-Minded Suzaku.” 

“Don’t get into too much trouble, Mr. Fairy,” Suzaku waved and turned back toward his camp, “I’d be sad to never see you again.”

* * *

Suzaku had nothing to worry about. He saw Lelouch again many times. Often  _ quick,  _ in passing, between one wish there and another wish here, but Suzaku didn’t mind that the fairy had places to be. He appreciated that Lelouch took the time to see him at all.

With each encounter, Suzaku believed even harder that the fairy was, in fact,  _ real.  _ Too many times Suzaku was too present in reality to believe that  _ just  _ the fairy was unreal. Such as now, when Suzaku was cooking supper over the fire. The fire was real, the meat and potatoes were real, the people chattering around him and talking to him were real, so how could the beautiful man fluttering through the trees be a dream when nothing else was?

He hoped Lelouch had the time to stick around until the meal was done. Suzaku couldn’t wander off in the middle of cooking. Not only would it be strange, but it was his turn to cook and Suzaku never shirked his duties. 

He kept looking up throughout, though. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to make sure Lelouch was still there. He wanted to make sure Lelouch knew Suzaku knew he was there. And he wanted, if he was honest, to look at him just for the simple pleasure of looking at him. 

So Suzaku served supper quickly, ate quickly, and brushed off his pants as he stood and gave an excuse for wandering into the woods alone.

It was a beautiful evening, the sun just setting and casting the trees in a golden glow. If anything, Lelouch could claim the view was scenic enough to stick around for. But his eyes weren’t anywhere near the sky. 

Remarkably, his feet were on the ground, wings still save for the breeze that moved through them. He was waiting. Waiting in the fading light of day to meet up with a human like some sordid reenactment of Romeo and Juliet. There wasn’t any real danger to be had, but there was still something mildly thrilling about it. In spite of the fact that the only rules he was breaking were  _ his own.  _

But what could he say? Lelouch had always been a rebel. And while not lacking in social contact from both human and spirit alike, it was… nice to have somewhere familiar to go. Somewhere to clear his mind and be away from the constant stream of want. 

Because on the rare occasion that Suzaku  _ wanted,  _ it was always so easy. He stood there until the footsteps behind him neared, and Lelouch glanced over his shoulder with a knowing smirk, allowing himself to be looked at. “How nice of you to join me, Suzaku.” 

“How nice of you to be here so that I could,” he replied, finding himself a nice, downed tree to rest on. It wasn’t just a pleasantry, it was true. In addition to cooking supper, Suzaku had caught supper and skinned supper. He had built the fire pit himself, and cut the firewood himself. It wasn’t his campmates’ fault; he’d done all that in the time it took them to put up their tents. 

But still, it made Suzaku thankful to rest, and doubly thankful to be able to rest his eyes upon the beautiful fairy, too.

Casually, Lelouch moved to take a seat next to the brunette, crossing one leg over the other for what would no doubt end up in another one of their bantering sessions. Often the fairy would come out of it frustrated, exasperated, or entertained, but never bored. “I decided I wanted to be somewhere quiet tonight.”

Suzaku nodded. He understood the urge. “Would you like me to not speak, then?”

“Mm, not  _ that _ quiet.” 

With a laugh, Suzaku shifted to better face his… He could call him a friend, couldn’t he? “It’s hard to believe sometimes how old you are.” 

“Well how  _ rude, _ ” Lelouch teased, “Keep that up and maybe I will want that quiet.”

“You don’t look a day over…” In awe, Suzaku reached up with reverent fingers to brush against the very ends of Lelouch’s hair, proving once again to himself that Lelouch was real, “You’ve discovered the secret to eternal youth. You really are a wish granter, aren’t you?” 

Lelouch seemed to glow under the attention. Only a very privileged few were allowed this close to him, and Suzaku had wheedled his way onto that list in what seemed like record time. There was no ill-will he could read from the brunette, no ulterior motives. He was just  _ fascinated  _ like he was some divine thing and the fairy was eating it up. Perhaps that was naive of him. 

“That has nothing to do with me granting wishes, and everything to do with when I ...lost my mortality.” 

Suzaku’s eyes were sad, even if the rest of him only spoke of understanding, “You mean you… died young?”

“Mm,” Lelouch idly rubbed at his chest, over the area where he still bore the scar of that particular event, “Old enough to be in the military though.” 

Suzaku was in that limbo himself, old enough to be an adult, but still young enough that to die would be tragic. Although he sometimes wondered if he could die, with how strong and resilient he was. 

He wished there was something comforting he could say about it, but Suzaku didn’t know the situation and besides, he found himself strangely glad. If Lelouch hadn’t  _ lost his mortality,  _ Suzaku never would have known him, and his campmates would surely have died, and Suzaku just found himself  _ so glad  _ that whatever had happened, had happened. 

Wars were always fought at such a high cost. “Did you at least believe in what you died for?”

“Yes,” there was a finality in Lelouch’s tone that left no room for doubt, even if sorrow was hidden beneath it. He’d had a long time to accept what happened in his past, a turbulent half of a century. It was getting easier to think about, but… 

Talking about it was another hurdle entirely. Lelouch gave Suzaku a quick glance, weighing out how comfortable he actually was with the human, and ended up giving him a little nudge, “Ah. We could have used someone like you. Between your brawns and my brain, maybe…” Maybe he could have granted the one wish he’d failed to. “Maybe we would have succeeded.” 

There had never been such a longing in Suzaku’s heart as there was now, that he might have been there, that he might have been able to erase whatever sorrow it was that made Lelouch’s eyes dim like that. But it was out of his hands, a whole hundred years past when he could have done anything, and Suzaku didn’t regret his life as it was. 

It was better to focus on the present.

“Going forward, if ever you find need of me, Lelouch, I am forever in your debt. You have my  _ brawns  _ now.”

Lelouch was not prepared for that particular flood of emotions. He physically jerked, taken aback, violet eyes staring as if Suzaku just told him he’d died again. The human was honest to God  _ wishing he could have been there.  _ He was wishing to change the past. To make him  _ happy.  _ And… 

And then it made sense when the brunette spoke. The gratitude thing again. It was starting to go beyond annoying, although… it seemed like there may have been more to it. 

Regardless, Lelouch shook his head to focus on what was being offered to him. Power. Brawns.  _ Muscles.  _ Damnit, he didn’t  _ do  _ flustered. “I, ah… Really, it isn’t as though I don’t get anything out of the wishes. You don’t… have to go so far as to offer your body to me.” 

Suzaku was blushing, but he refused to acknowledge it. Lelouch hadn’t needed to put it quite  _ that  _ way. “Honestly, my strength is my only use. I would be happy to lend it to you.”

“Your whole camp uses you that way. I’d hate to be shoved in the same category,” they were back on more familiar territory now, and Lelouch was able to relax, “But I’ll keep it in mind should I come across another satyr in need of a good decking.”  

Suzaku blinked in surprise, “Another?”

“Humans aren’t the only ones with wishes, you know.” 

Suzaku was confused, “A satyr wished to be punched?”

“Ugh.” There was a reason Lelouch still called him Simple-Minded Suzaku. “No, I’m just saying I do business with more than just humans. And the last satyr I dealt with was wishing for more than I was willing to give, that’s all. It happens.” 

Suzaku wasn’t sure whether he wanted to smirk or rage over this new revelation, “So it was you who wished for the satyr to be punched.”

“The irony, right?” Lelouch mused, leaning his head back to look up at the darkening sky, “The power to grant anyone’s wishes except my own.” 

“Truly?” Which meant the satyr went un-punched and Suzaku suddenly wished he could have been there. Lelouch did not deserve to be harassed for his gift, especially given how selfless it apparently was. To insist on more than a miracle, to have a miracle bestowed and then to demand another, to ask of Lelouch what he could not or would not do… It was criminal. Or at least criminally arrogant and Suzaku was more than willing to punch someone, human or beyond, like that.

There went the flood again. Lelouch… had to laugh. God, Suzaku didn’t even have proof beyond the fairy’s word that any of it was  _ true,  _ and yet the man was ready to go on the offense.  _ For him.  _ It was… 

How could one person wish for so much without  _ any  _ of it being for himself? 

“You should stop that.” 

Suzaku pulled himself up, back straight in surprise. What was he doing? Was he wishing for more than Lelouch could give? Was he doing exactly the thing that Lelouch so hated from others? And how sensitive was he? Did it hurt to hear wishes like that? “I’m sorry. Please tell me, what am I doing wrong?”

“You care too much about things beyond your control, and not enough about yourself,” was Lelouch’s psychological assessment. “I don’t have the power to change the past, nor predict the future. I much prefer, if you’re going to wish, do it for something I can actually grant.” 

So yes, Suzaku was doing exactly the thing that Lelouch hated. He nodded readily and schooled his desires back to nothing. He was well-fed, he had a home to go back to, he had loved ones who were safe. Suzaku wanted for nothing. “I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you to hear wishes all day. I’ll do better.”

Lelouch was immediately shaking his head. “You aren’t  _ wrong  _ to wish for those things. Everyone wants world peace and all that. But you shouldn’t… rather, don’t think you need to wish on  _ my  _ behalf. Or anyone’s. I’m a creature who thrives on selfish desires.” 

“That may be so,” Suzaku allowed with a small smile, glad that the fairy wasn’t angry at him over it, or wanted to punch him as it were, “but selfishness isn’t a virtue, and I try to live a virtuous life.”

It drew another chuckle out of the fairy, “Sometimes I have to wonder how we’re even friends.”

“Because we want to be,” Suzaku answered simply. It didn’t need to be any more complicated than that.

“Even if I jeopardize your virtues?” 

Suzaku shrugged one shoulder, “It is up to me to guard my own virtues.”

“Well,” Lelouch smirked, shifting so that they were close enough for their arms to be touching, “Let me know if you ever need a break from them.”

With a laugh, Suzaku wrapped an arm around the fairy’s shoulders and pulled him closer, if not for what he implied, “You are nothing if not temptation.”

An actual smile was on Lelouch’s lips when he leaned his head down on Suzaku’s shoulder like the human was meant for the fairy’s personal comfort, “And don’t you forget it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems to be a much harder image to find anymore, but Lelouch as the Blue Fairy wears the [outfit](https://saimaisama.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/03.jpg) from the [R2 Sound Story 2 cover](https://saimaisama.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/code-geass-r2-ss02/), just in case anyone wanted to add that to their mental images~


	3. Anything You Silently Scream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lelouch wishes Suzaku would wish for something better.

Lelouch wasn’t making a habit of this, he  _ swore  _ he wasn’t. But he lacked the ability to actually  _ plan  _ meet-ups with his friend, so it just so happened that he’d often come upon him while he was busy. Either with other people, or by himself engrossed in necessary tasks like fetching water, repairing carts, or chopping wood. The chopping wood happened a lot. 

And he only knew this because sometimes,  _ only sometimes,  _ he’d watch. Like he was now. Lounging on a high tree branch like some jungle cat stalking its prey. But it  _ wasn’t stalking.  _ Just. Observing. He was so deceptively strong. He cut through  _ massive  _ oak trees like butter with that axe of his and it didn’t phase him, but he  _ did  _ sweat, and under the sun, Lelouch could see the outlines of compact muscles on those bare arms that could probably toss him around like  _ nothing _ … 

He blamed the heat he felt rising on the overhead sun. The fairy simply ... _ admired _ such physical strength. A trait he’d never and would never have. And it wasn’t like Suzaku was some giant hulking mass of hard flesh, he was also incredibly fast and  _ graceful  _ about it all. It was all worthy of his admiration. Attraction. 

Lelouch didn’t wish these traits for himself, but he  _ enjoyed _ knowing someone who did. It looked... _ good  _ on the brunette. 

Who was alone. Maybe it was time to change that. 

“Hard at work as always, I see,” Lelouch called below, an arm resting on his bent knee. He hoped he looked casual enough as opposed to ...any other inappropriate expression that may have been on his face. 

Suzaku looked up immediately at that voice, a smile already playing at his lips. A day with a visit from Lelouch was always a great day. 

“It never ends, you see. Every day the chores start again. How about you? Any wishes around here to grant?” 

“What, around  _ you? _ ” Lelouch grinned, “Of course not. You’re too content for me.” 

That expression looked deliciously dangerous on Lelouch’s face. He was far too pleased with himself, and given what the man liked to do with his time…

He was so beautiful, though. He could get away with murder. Suzaku should stop encouraging him, and yet, “I'm not the only person around, of course. Maybe my campmates want something even I can't catch them to eat. Who knows?” 

“I mean, if you  _ want  _ me to bring a sampling of delicacies from around the world, I could, but somehow I don’t see your campmates appreciating the taste of  _ foie gras, _ ” the fairy chuckled, descending gently to the ground with the help of his wings, “Honestly, what most of your campmates want is a bit of  _ horizontal refreshment _ , and I delegate that to Cupid’s department.”

“Hori-Really?” Suzaku demanded in disbelief. That  _ that  _ was the motivating desire of his whole camp was… surprising. Suzaku could understand, of course, it would be  _ nice…  _ But he also gladly gave up the more sexual side of life if it meant he earned survival instead. But his campmates… “Wait, Cupid?” 

...Lelouch quirked an eyebrow, “You do know who Cupid is, don’t you? He’s been around  _ far  _ longer than I have.”

“I mean…” Suzaku wasn't sure what was more surprising now, but he supposed if wish-granting fairies were real… “He’s real, too?” 

“Of course he is. He even fits your angel bill, although he’s considered more of a god,” Lelouch elaborated, “This surprises you? You’ve never been in love?”

Suzaku shook his head, but he was more stunned than sad. Cupid looked like an angel? “Not yet.” 

“I suppose you wouldn’t have seen him even if you had. He carries out his work more subtly to encourage people together,” but then Lelouch was giving his human friend a skeptical look, “You believe Cupid exists without seeing him and yet you thought  _ I _ wasn’t real?”

“Well,” Suzaku started in a flustered tone, “It's not like you're one of my campmates or something. If I'm not to believe the word of a blue fairy, then who should I believe?” 

“You’re biased towards angels, admit it.”

“I haven’t even seen him!” 

But Lelouch was shaking his head like it was all a lost cause, “Such double standards. I just don’t know what to do with you.” 

“Believe me,” Suzaku offered, turning away to set up another piece of wood on the block, “or don’t. But I would never have believed in Cupid if I hadn’t met you, first.”

“Oh Suzaku,” Lelouch chuckled, having too much fun teasing him. And he wasn’t done yet either, if the way he snuck up behind him and draped his arms over his shoulders was any indication, “I didn’t know you thought of me that way.” 

Suzaku stopped short, going back over his words to figure out what Lelouch was talking about. What trap had he fallen into, this time? Thank goodness the flush of his exertion hid anything that might have been a blush. “Thought of you what way?” 

“Well after a line like that, one might think you’re flirting with me,” the fairy smirked, using the proximity to admire those muscles up close.

Suzaku gave an uneasy smile and gently pulled Lelouch’s hands from his person, “If only I were so adventurous as to want such a fast trip into Hell.”

“Goodness,” Lelouch wasn’t sure he’d ever heard such swift rejection before. Politely, he removed himself and crossed his arms where they would not be quite so  _ toxic.  _ “After a line like  _ that,  _ one might think I’m the Devil himself.” 

Suzaku laughed, but he had to disagree, “I’m not sure even the Devil could tempt me as much.”

Lelouch hummed thoughtfully, leaning his weight against the nearest tree so Suzaku could get back to his task, “Honestly, I’ve hardly gotten you into any trouble. Just what sort of thing do you think I’m trying to tempt you to  _ do _ ?” 

“I can handle trouble,” the smile never left Suzaku’s face as he turned back to his work, “It’s sin I can’t undo myself. Who’s to say if the Lord would forgive me for lying with another man?”

“You just made it quite clear you  _ don’t _ think of me that way,” the fairy huffed, “What’s the matter? Am I dressed too provocatively for your conservative sensibilities?”

Suzaku’s axe dug deep into the block and he left it there when he looked up in surprise. Surely, he wasn’t. It was true that his vest was low-cut, trimmed with ruffles, and his arms were completely bare for Suzaku to admire. His pants were too-fitted to hide their lean shape, and criss-crossed lacing let him see the skin of Lelouch’s thigh even so, but…  

“Did I? Because you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen, and it isn’t the cloth that covers you that makes me think so. I only meant to say, I wouldn’t flirt with you, because it wouldn’t be virtuous to do so.” 

… How did one dissect such a response? 

Of course Lelouch’s pride swelled at the compliment, but the damn pious act… It made him want to spite those virtues, it challenged him to get Suzaku to let  _ go,  _ but that’s what got him likened to the Devil in the first place _.  _

“No wonder your camp is plagued with lust,” Lelouch concluded with a sigh, “Rest easy, my simple-minded friend, I am merely a fairy. Not an incubus.” 

“If only you were evil,” Suzaku shrugged, stacking two pieces of wood on top of one another for a challenge, “then I could just hate you. But no, I have to  _ like  _ you, instead.”

“Mm. Perhaps that makes me the most evil of all,” the fairy mused with his eyes fixed on the display. 

“It makes you,” with solid aim and a swift swing, Suzaku cleanly sliced the wood in two, “more tempting than the  _ Devil.”  _

God, that strength shouldn’t have been so appealing. Lelouch wanted to see  _ more  _ of it. “You really shouldn’t be telling a  _ tempting  _ creature like myself your weaknesses. Who’s to say I won’t exploit them?”

“I trust you,” Suzaku said simply, moving on to three pieces. 

“How can you? You constantly think I’m up to no good,” Lelouch laughed.

“I think you’re up to all kinds of  _ good,”  _ Suzaku corrected with a teasing grin, “and  _ that’s _ the trouble.”

“It’s a mixed bag, I suppose.”

“And you don’t seem like the sort that would fix up my camp just to ruin my life another way, of course.” 

“You have me there,” Lelouch conceded with a grin of his own, “I don’t keep coming back in an effort to sabotage you. I keep hoping you’ll wish for something  _ better  _ for yourself.”

Suzaku stood up straight and stared in incomprehension at the fairy, “Better?” 

“Of course,” Lelouch stepped forward, opening his arms like they held  _ worlds  _ of possibilities, “I could make you the wealthiest man in your camp. I could take you home to Japan. Or  _ anywhere  _ else on the planet. I could get you in a position of power, where you could live the rest of your days in luxury. You name it, I can make it happen.”

“Ah,” Suzaku smiled, amused at just how…  _ cute  _ Lelouch was, excited by his own power. Suzaku was more excited at the theatrics than the potential wishes, “And I really just want everyone to be safe and happy.” 

Those grandiose arms slumped in defeat when Lelouch sighed. He wondered when that answer was ever going to change. Because it  _ had  _ to change at some point. “What about  _ your  _ happiness? You can’t tell me that you’re only happy if everyone else is happy. I won’t believe you.”

Suzaku bit his lip, because that was exactly how he felt. When his loved ones were hurting, even when  _ strangers  _ were hurting, Suzaku hurt too. He could  _ only  _ be happy when everyone else was, first.

“Ugh, one of these days you’ve got to tell me what made you become  _ conditioned  _ that way,” Lelouch was throwing his arms up for an entirely different reason because  _ come on _ , “I don’t understand how you can be so powerful and so passive at the same time.” 

Suzaku laughed, “How do you not see the irony in that?”

“What’s the  _ point  _ of the irony in that?”

“You could make almost anything happen, any wish come true,” Suzaku majestically recited, “but only if  _ someone else  _ wishes for it. Truly, you and I are the same.” 

“We’re not,” the fairy shook his head to shoot that idea down, “I do this because I have no other function anymore. I do this because if I  _ don’t,  _ ….” he looked away, furrowing his brow, as this was something he often pondered, “I can’t say for certain what would happen to me, but I would cease to exist.” 

That… Suzaku would wish for a million frivolous things if it meant keeping Lelouch from disappearing. If disappearing is what would happen. “Still, there is nothing more passive or powerful than what you do. Don’t you take joy from it? Even if you can’t control that you do it?” 

“I take joy in watching a plan come together, or a dream realized. There are perks to be had, certainly, but sometimes it’s no more glorified than consuming food.”

Suzaku couldn’t decide if he was sad, or… Well, it really wasn’t much different from his own situation. They were content, the both of them. But if Lelouch was going to insist they were different, it wasn’t worth the argument. 

So he shrugged and chopped more wood, “I don’t know what you think I could wish for that would make me happy without coming back to haunt me.”

Lelouch frowned at the idea, “What makes you say that?”

“You could take me to Japan, but don’t you think there’s a reason I’m not there, already? You could make me wealthy, but I’d only be a target of resentment. Which is true of any position of power I could have. Except for someone to love, which you’ve already said isn’t your department, what could make me  _ truly  _ happy?”

Lelouch would give the human credit. Most of them didn’t consider the consequences of their selfish desires when achieving them was only a snap of his fingers away. Still, he hated to think there was  _ nothing  _ he could do. That went against all of the reputation he built for himself. “If love is your wish, I could easily introduce you to Cupid.” 

Suzaku knew his smile was sad. He was thankful that he didn’t feel the need to cover it up with a more socially acceptable expression around the Blue Fairy. “No, thank you,” he said instead, piling the chopped wood on a sled to pull back to camp, “I fear even that would turn on me, with my proclivities.” 

What was that even supposed to  _ mean?  _ Lelouch sighed in his exasperation, because, “It sounds like you’re determined to never be happier than you are right now, despite knowing that you  _ could  _ be.” 

Suzaku shook his head and, abandoning the sled, sat down next to the tree the fairy had staked out as his own. There was no urgent need to get the wood back to camp. “I don’t know that.” 

“But you do,” Lelouch argued, sliding down the tree to be on the same level as his misguided friend, “You do because I’m right here telling you so.” 

Suzaku feigned surprised interest, “I didn’t know one of your talents was predicting the future.”

“Rude,” the fairy pointed out with a glare, “I swear everytime I come here, you give me less and less of a reason to come back.”

Suzaku shrugged, even if the words made him somber, made him feel the loneliness of having no one around he could be frank with. Suzaku wasn’t going to change just because Lelouch wanted him to, and if he stayed away, it would be his right. Of course, Suzaku still hoped he didn’t. “And yet you do.” 

“Because every once in awhile, once in a rare while,” Lelouch gave the brunette a dramatic side glance, “You also give me a sliver of  _ proclivity  _ to return. Like you are right now.” 

Suzaku’s surprise was real this time as he stared at the fairy. He was keeping Lelouch here? ...Was it against his will? “Do you want me to stop?” 

“ _ No, _ ” Lelouch kind of wanted to smack him though, “No I don’t want you to stop feeling what you’re honestly feeling. That’s my  _ point. _ ” 

The relief nearly overwhelmed Suzaku for a moment. It was a revealing moment, even if Suzaku had already known how much he enjoyed Lelouch’s company. Losing it would be devastating. 

But then, “...I’m not sure I understand your point.” 

Lelouch shook his head, “I’m not sure I care to argue it with you any longer. You want me to stay here for no one else’s benefit but your own. Let’s not ruin this moment of progress.” 

Suzaku laughed, because that was typical, that Suzaku should not understand the driving forces of his own life. But he let it be, because the hard work of the past days was catching up with him and he didn’t need to know what Lelouch was talking about to appreciate his presence beside him.

“Alright, I’ll try not to ruin it. But won’t I bore you if I’m not saying something foolish for you to refute?” 

“ _ Shhhh,”  _ the fairy shushed, holding one slim finger over Suzaku’s lips while smirking with his own, “Progress.” 

That touch was cruel for how it made Suzaku yearn for more. More he couldn’t allow himself to have. He smiled still, because it wasn’t Lelouch’s touch that made him like the fairy so, and obediently said nothing more. 

Suzaku. Such the picture of obedience. Funny that Lelouch was so tickled by it but trying to get the man to  _ fight it  _ at the same time. 

Removing his finger, and idly wondering at this vague ‘ _ more’  _ that was coming from his friend, they settled into lighter conversation. He asked not about why he left Japan, but what he remembered about it, then proceeded to fill in the blanks about things that had changed. 

That in turn led Lelouch to describe his other travels, describing far off lands, blossoming cities, and new technologies. He had no idea how much talking he’d been doing or how much time had passed until he felt a sudden warm weight on his shoulder. 

Apparently his tales of other, distant worlds weren’t quite as enthralling as he’d thought. Suzaku was sleeping rather soundly with nothing but the ruffles of his vest as a pillow. Lelouch sighed. He couldn’t fault Suzaku for needing rest considering the entire population of his camp relied on him. And well… He didn’t have the heart to disturb him when he looked so damn  _ cozy.  _

It just left him in a bit of an awkward position, anchored to his current spot. Surely Suzaku’s campmates would come for him soon. Lelouch decided he could wait until then. 

He rested his cheek atop brown curls, and watched the sun set in peace. 


End file.
